This application is related in some aspects to pending patent application Ser. No. 09/934,432, filed Aug. 22, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,773.
This invention is generally related to the covering arts and, in particular, to a roofing tile system of greatly improved strength and fire resistance capabilities.
The roofing tiles described herein are of the curved type and are known in some areas of the art as cienda or barrel-type tiles. The overall appearance is that of a Spanish-type tile configuration.
Attempts have been made to reproduce clay-type tiles in the art. Such reproductions have proven to be very costly to manufacture and cumbersome to install. Prior art systems have also lacked the long-life strength and pleasing appearance desired in the art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to set forth a novel curved roofing tile.
It is a further object of the invention to demonstrate a roofing tile of superior strength such that it may be compression molded in a double-wide configuration for improved installation efficiency.
It is also an object of the invention to show a roofing tile comprised of recycled materails and binders so as to achieve a Class A fire resistance rating, i.e. the highest rating possible in the art.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the description which follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,328 issued on Aug. 22, 2000 teaches a method and apparatus for manufacturing and installing roof tiles having improved strength and stacking features. The tiles are formed of clay and include ribs for stacking and strength usages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,704 issued in 2001 shows a composite structural building panel and connection system. The patent emphasizes various complex connectors for building wall systems.
In contrast, the present invention shows a curved double-wide roofing tile of a novel curved shape and having materials of higher strength and fire resistance features. The recycled materials utilized in the present invention may be used in a very economical compression molding process. The use of recycled materials results in a great benefit to the ecology.
An extra-wide roofing tile is made which includes at least two peaks and three valley areas.
Connector-type ridges are included at lateral edges of the tile.
Reinforcing and rain directing channels are positioned at at least three regions of the roofing tile, e.g. top, center and bottom.
The roofing tile may be manufactured using a unique compression molding manufacturing process which enables a very cost effective fabrication in a relatively low-cost plant.
Recycled products such as rubber and plastics are combined with binders resulting in a strong tile which helps the ecology by using materials which would normally be placed in landfills.